Window regulator



Sept. 20, 1966 J. PICKLES WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Jan. 13, 1964 FIG.2.

7o 5 so INVENTOR.

I I W ATTO NEYS FIG.7.

Unite The present invention relates to a window regulator, and more particularly, to a regulator designed for actuation of the window of a motor vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a window regulator including a power drive mechanism and yieldable means in the transmission connecting the power drive mechanism to the window actuator.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a window regulator comprising actuating mechanism for connection to the window including a pivoted lever, means for swinging the lever about a pivot axis including gear means, and resilient means connecting the gear means to the lever.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide in drive means for a window regulator, a toothed sector, an actuating arm pivoted to said sector for movement thereby and for relative movement thereto, and resilient means interconnecting said sector and said arm.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide mechanism as described in the preceding paragraph in which the resilient means connecting the arm to the sector is preloaded so as to prevent relative movement between said arm and said sector below a predetermined force applied to the arm.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide mechanism as described in the second paragraph above in which the resilient means is balanced and maintains the lever in a predetermined position relative to the sector in the absence of loading applied to the arm.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of window regulating mechanism in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 22, FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4, FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5, FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 2, showing a modification of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a somewhat dilierent arrangement of the parts.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view on the line 8--8, FIG- URE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the substitution of tension springs for compression springs in the window regulator.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the window regulating mechanism comprises a mounting bracket Ill adapted to be fixedly secured in the hollow interior of a vehicle door below the vertically movable window therein. A first actuating arm 12 is mounted on the bracket by a pivot mounting indicated at 14, the opposite end of the arm having a pin or the like indicated at 16 slidable in a substantially horizontal slot 18 provided in window support structure 20. Also pivoted to the bracket 10 as indicated at 22, is a bell crank lever 24- having a window rates Fatent actuating arm 26 and a second arm 28 provided for connection to power mechanism. The arm 26 carries a pin 39 slidable in a horizontal groove 32 which may be an extension of the groove 18 provided in the window support structure 20.

In order to insure properly timed swinging movement of the arms 12 and 26-, the arm 12 is provided with a lateral extension 34 having a groove 36 therein shaped to provide the required relative movement between the arms 12 and 26. The arm 26 carries a pin 38 which extends into the slot 36 to provide properly timed relationship between the swinging movements of the arms 12 and 26.

Power means under the control of the driver of the vehicle are provided for raising and lowering the window carried by the window support structure 2i). This mechanism comp-rises a bracket 40 also adapted to be fixedly mounted within the hollow interior of the door. Carried by the bracket 40 is a gear sector 42 mounted for rocking movement thereon about a pivot mounting 44. The gear sector 42 is in mesh with a pinion 46 adapted to be driven in either direction by an electric motor 48. The motor 48 drives a worm 50 which may be designed to mesh with the pinion 46 or which may operate with a worm gear (not shown) keyed or otherwise secured to the same shaft to which the pinion 46 is mounted.

A lever 52 is pivoted to the sector 42 and it is preferred to pivot it to the sector by the same pivot mounting 44 which connects the sector to the bracket 49. The lever 52 includes a pin 54 slidably received in an elongated slot 56 formed in the arm 28 of the: lever 24.

Resilient means are provided between the sector 42 and the lever 52 to provide for yielding of the lever relative to the sector when movement of the window is arrested. This means comprises the spring means indicated generally at 58 in FIGURE 1, which is illustrated in detail in FIGURES 2 through 5.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the lever 52 at the left hand end thereof as seen in FIGURE 1, includes a downwardly bent tab or projection 60 which extends through an elongated arcuate slot 62 formed in the sector 42. In this case the sec-tor 42 includes a pair of oppositely facing downwardly directing spring abutment tabs 64 each of which is provided with an inwardly directed finger 66 which enters into the open end of the compression springs 68 and 70. Also, if necessary, additional guiding and support means are provided for the separate springs 68 and 7t) and these constitute strips 72 struck out of the sector plate 42, leaving openings 74 therein, the strips being bent to provide guiding and support arms 76, as best illustrated in FIGURE 5.

It will further be observed that the downwardly extending tab 60 formed at the free end of the arm 52 is provided with laterally extending fingers 73 which also enter into the open inner ends of the springs 68 and '70. Finally, a spring abutment element Ed is struck out of the sector 42 leaving an opening 82 therein and is bent to extend across the space between the inner confronting ends of the springs 68 and 70. This element, as best seen in FIGURE 2, is provided with laterally extending fingers 83 which also extend into the opposite open inner ends of the springs 68 and 70.

For this arrangement the springs 68 and 7t) may be assembled as illustrated under substantial compression and will serve to retain the arm or lever 52 in centered relation With respect to the sector 42 until a predetermined loading on the window, and hence the arm 52, is exceeded. At this time the arm is caused to yield relative to the sector 42 compressing one or the other of the springs 68 and 70. Normally, concern is with the spring which yields when upward movement of the window is arrested,

as this may in some cases be the result of accidental engagement of a passenger or the like. Inasmuch as the springs are prestressed but are in engagement with the stationary spring abutment 80, yielding movement of the arm does not take place until the predetermined safe loading is exceeded and whenever this loading decreases the arm returns to its accurately centered position determined by the location of the stationary inner spring abutment 80.

It will be observed that in this construction the spring abutments and spring guides are all formed of material struck out of the sheet metal sector 42.

Referring now to FIGURE 6 there is illustrated a somewhat similar arrangement in which an arm 84 corresponding generally to the arm 52 is provided for swinging movement on a sheet metal sector here designated 86 and corresponding generally to the sector 42 previously described. In this case the arm 84 has a downwardly extending ear 88 provided with oppositely extending fingers 70. The ear 88 of course extends through an arcuate slot 89 which corresponds to the arcuate slot 62 of the embodiment of the invention first described.

Spring locating and retaining tabs 92 are provided, struck down from the material of the sector 86 and leaving openings 94 therein. Separate coil compression springs 96 and 98 are provided with the opposite ends seated and retained on the retaining tabs 92. The inner ends of the springs receive the fingers 90 and maintain the lever or arm 84 in centralized position. For this construction it is also possible to use a single coil compression spring extending between the spring seat elements 92, and to provide for engagement of the free end of the arm 84 between a pair of convolutions centrally of the spring. In either case, the arm 84 is retained in a centralized position only by the balance of forces developed by the spring means. Accordingly, any loading of the arm as occasioned by resistance to movement of the window will cause a yieldable displacement of the arm relative to the sector 86. The amount of this yielding can however be of predetermined amount by a selection of the strength and rates of the springs 96 and 98.

Referring now to FIGURES 7 and 8 there is illustrated yet another embodiment of the invention, which is characterized by the fact that the mounting bracket sector and actuating arm may be formed of flat sheet material assembled in substantially parallel contiguous relationship. In this case the bracket 100 carries a pivot mounting 102 which connects to the sector 104 and the actuating arm 106. The sector 104, as in the embodiments previously described, includes teeth 108 adapted to be operated from a pinion similar to the pinion 46 illustrated in FIGURE 1. Struck upwardly from the sector 104 are a pair of oppositely facing spring locating and abutment elements 110 and 112, these elements leaving the openings 113 in the sector 104 as illustrated in FIGURE 7. A third spring centering and abutment element 114 is struck out of the sector 104 and is bent upwardly and reversely as best seen in FIGURE 8. The arm 106 at one end thereof includes an upwardly bent portion 116 provided with laterally extending figures 118 which enter into the opposite open ends of springs 120 and 122 located between spring abutments 110 and 114 and abutments 112 and 114. With this arrangement it will of course be understood that the springs 120 and 1 22 may be prestressed as required so that the arm 106 will transmit torque upon movement of the sector 104 up to any loading. However, when this loading is exceeded the arm 106 will yield at which time the arm will move away from one of the springs 120 or 122 and will further compress the other of the two springs. With this arrangement it will be observed that the arm need not have a portion extending through a slot in the sector. As illustrated in FIGURE 7, the spring is retained in position only by its engagement with the abutments 1'10, 112, 114, and the fingers 118 at the end of the arm 106. However, if the length of the spring requires, additional spring guide means similar to the elements 76 may be struck out of the sector 104 and shaped to overlie, partially confine, and guide the spring. Obviously of course, instead of a pair of such elements as shown in FIGURE 5, a single element of adequate length may be caused to extend around somewhat more than half the circumference of the appropriate spring.

While for simplicity, the device in the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been illustrated as comprising compression springs, it will of course be readily apparent that if preferred, tension springs could be substituted, thus eliminating any necessity for intermediate guide means. The principal diiterence if tension springs are substituted for compression springs, is that the inner ends of the springs 12 5 adjacent the actuating lever 1126 are provided with the equivalent of hook means 128, diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 9, engageable with a stationary stop element or abutment struck out of the material of a sector plate 132 and a tab 134 provided at the end of the arm 126. With this arrangement, yielding movement of the arm 126 relative to the sector 13?. is of course predetermined by the initial tens-ion provided in the springs 125. Yielding movement of the arm 126 in either direction relative to the sector, will cause it to further elongate one of the tension springs while the other tension spring remains with its adjacent end supported in stationary position by the stop element or abutment 130.

The drawing and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved window regulator in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In window regulator mechanism, a support, a Hat plate formed of sheet metal pivoted to said support, an operating arm pivoted to said support, pivot means on said support mounting said plate and said arm for independent swinging movement about the axis thereof, a pair of opposed spring retainer end abutments partially severed from the sheet material of said plate at opposite sides of said arm and bent up to confront a portion of said arm, a centering spring retainer abutment partially severed from the sheet material of said plate and bent up to occupy a position intermediate said end abutments, a coil spring under compression retained between said centering abutment and each of said end abutments, said arm having a spring retainer abutment engageab-le with the adjacent ends of both of said coil springs.

2. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which said plate has an arcuate slot therein, said springs being located at the side of said plate opposite said arm, and said arm having a projection extending through said slot shaped to form the said spring retainer abutment thereon.

3. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which said end ad centering spring abutments are 'bent up from the sheet material of said plate to extend at the same side thereof as said arm.

4. Mechanism as defined in claim 3 in which said arm has a flat surface slidably engaged with the adjacent surface of said plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,002,179 8/1911 'Rouiss 74-409 X 1,377,306 5/1921 Brush 74-470 X 3,088,727 5/1963 Pelagatti 74-90 X MILTON KAUFMAN, Primary Examiner.

BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Examiner.

F. E. BAKER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM, A SUPPORT, A FLAT PLATE FORMED OF SHEET METAL PIVOTED TO SAID SUPPORT, AN OPERATING ARM PIVOTED TO SAID SUPPORT, PIVOT MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT MOUNTING SAID PLATE AND SAID ARM FOR INDEPENDENT SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT THE AXIS THEREOF, A PAIR OF OPPOSED SPRING RETAINER END ABUTMENTS PARTIALLY SEVERED FROM THE SHEET MATERIAL OF SAID PLATE AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ARM AND BENT UP TO CONFRONT A PORTION OF SAID ARM, A CENTERING SPRING RETAINER ABUTMENT PARTIALLY SEVERED FROM THE SHEET MATERIAL OF SAID PLATE AND BENT UP TO OCCUPY A POSITION INTERMEDIATE SAID END ABUTMENTS, A COIL SPRING UNDER COMPRESSION RETAINED BETWEEN SAID CENTERING ABUTMENT AND EACH OF SAID END ABUTMENTS, SAID ARM HAVING A SPRING RETAINER ABUTMENT ENGAGEABLE WITH THE ADJACENT ENDS OF BOTH OF SAID COIL SPRINGS. 